DESCRIPTION(Provided by Applicant): [unreadable] The purpose of the Research Training Grant is to provide a fundamental background in research to M.D. and Ph.D. post-doctoral fellows. This training will be a critical step towards a career in academic medicine and will help prepare fellows to become independent investigators. A strength of the Rheumatology group is the considerable depth and productivity in both basic biomedical research and in epidemiology and clinical research. Recent faculty recruitments have contributed to substantial strengths in molecular biology where research focuses on regulation of gene transcription, on fibroblast biology and collagen regulation in scleroderma, and on mRNA splicing. In immunology, several senior investigators examine lymphocyte apoptosis, macrophage defects in autoimmune animal models and cell-cell adhesion. In amyloidosis, there are studies of amyloid fibrillogenesis and of mutations in transthyretin genes. Finally, there are outstanding epidemiologic and outcome studies of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and studies of health economics and decision analysis in rheumatic diseases and clinical studies in amyloidosis and scleroderma. Fellows have a diversity of training opportunities to use state of the art approaches in the study of molecular basis, pathogenesis and progress of rheumatic disease. Technical aspects of training will include techniques in molecular and cell biology, immunology, and analytical statistical and epidemiological approaches to disease. Although there will be a dichotomy between training experiences of those in basic bench sciences and in health services research, the interaction and crossfertilization of these areas will allow trainees to gain an overall greater understanding of disease. Funding is requested for 3 trainees in each year of the grant, each trainee to spend two to three years in the training program. The program at Boston University has a distinguished record of post-doctoral training in rheumatology and many graduates have gone on to distinguished academic positions. The faculty provide a strong and experienced approach and will devote their talents to the training grant. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]